Bento Gallery

The Bellflower set from i.kotoba features a pretty little flower print. The box has one large compartment inside, with a sealing rubbery inner lid. The packaging indicated that it would be stackable with others of the same design, but I've never found another box like it! The chopsticks are natural bamboo/wood and have little non-slip ridges (suberidome) at their tips. I love the silky tassels on the drawstring bag.

Source: Jbox.

The Comment-vas tu? Excursion Set was the first bento set I bought! The French on it makes more sense than most of the English you find printed on Japanese goods. ('How are you? Wonderful weather, isn't it?') The matching carrybag was actually a later purchase, as the original set just came with lunchbox, chopsticks, cutlery set and drink-bottle. The chopsticks live inside the upper lid of the box. The box really needs an elastic band to hold its layers together, which was not included.

Source: Jbox.

The i.kotoba dragonfly set is another with a cute little stylised graphic on the lid and one big compartment inside. The lid has a snaplock seal which means you don't need an elastic band, but because of the metal in the clasps, it can't be microwaved with the lid on. The bag zips up, which is very practical.

Source: Jbox.

The Impressive is one of my more masculine-looking bento boxes, and it has a larger capacity than most. I decided I just had to have it because of the argyle pattern on the lid - I adore argyle things. The decorative English phrase is amusing: 'My heart cannot stop throbbing. My dream that has begun to move.' Chopsticks live inside a neat little snappy compartment within the lid, and it has both snapdown clasps and inner rubbery seals. An adjustable divider for the top layer is included. It's very cool.

Source: Jbox.

The 'kani-kani' set from i.kotoba features cute little crabs, and comes with a plastic mug for your drink along with lunch. Again, there are suberidome tips on the chopsticks, so this is a good set for less confident chopstick users. Snap-clasps on the sides make it secure.

Source: Jbox.

This orange/yellow Hakoya box has cute, tiny kitties on the lid, with two layers inside, one with a divider and a rubbery sealing lid. There's also an elastic band, but the upper lid sits so well that it's almost unnecessary. A smaller lunchbox for light meals and snacks.

Source: Texan Art Schools design store, Newmarket, Auckland

There are moments in every life when you think 'This ain't right,' and one of those is when you're saving an image with the filename 'kittyheadopen.jpg.' This mini bento box (big enough for a snack or a very small person's lunch) is shaped like the head of Hello Kitty. Inside there's a removable divider. It is beyond cutesy-poo. Sometimes when I remember that I own this I have to go and listen to the Ramones and look at somethingawful.com to reassert my non-sissyness. (I'm a girl... I'm just not a sissy.)

Source: Jbox.

This charming red box featuring a traditional lucky cat design comes from Hakoya. Two compartments, one with a rubbery seal lid. The red and black exterior and interior mimic traditional lacquerwork, with the durability of plastic (although if we were being really trad, it would be black outside and red inside). I think this lunchbox looks awesome. It doesn't come with chopsticks, but it's awesome anyway.

Source: Texan Art Schools design store, Newmarket, Auckland.

This Putifresh set features green grapes ('muscat') and the somewhat dopey inscription, 'Happy fruits is very delicious! I will eat this and become fortunate all together!', repeated on the box lid, the chopstick case and the plastic cup with sealing lid and pop-top for a straw. Another box that really needs an elastic band to hold it together, but didn't come with one. Cute, but with a somewhat cheaper feel than the others.

Source: Jbox.

This very cute and well-made set features Hello Kitty, a lot of pink, and little white lop-eared rabbits. If I were Usagi from Sailor Moon, I'd have this lunchbox. I'm not Usagi, and I have it anyway. This box comes with a plethora of dividers for snappy presentation, and has good inner seals. It gave me minor delusions of grandeur because it appeared on the Jbox website shortly after I'd emailed them requesting something with a bunny design. A gift from my friend Kevin!

Source: Jbox.

There's a 'deluxe' feel to this red and gold Hello Kitty set, as if you should reserve it for special occasions. There aren't as many dividers as in the pink bunny set, but it's well-made and has good inner seals. Actually came with two sets of chopsticks, the pretty red pair in a separate case, and a smaller cream-coloured pair nesting inside the upper lid.

Source: Jbox.

Another 'more masculine' box, this one features the Japanese characters for uneri, 'wave.' Sturdy and attractive, with matching chopsticks and an inner seal on one compartment. At the time of writing, this was my most recent acquisition and I hadn't even put a lunch in it yet!

Source: Jbox.

The Wimbledon is one of my favourite lunchboxes - it's big and practical. It's also one of my more masculine ones - looks like something a salaryman would carry. I hope the salaryman doesn't mind his curry seeping into his rice, because the movable divider in the one big compartment is not watertight. However, it's great for sandwiches or, the other day, for a good amount of spaghetti carbonara!

Source: Jbox.

This is a matching set of three that stack very nicely. They don't have anything fancy like internal dividers or Tupperware seals, but they're good basic boxes for many things and their traditional design is quite charming. Having the matching, stackable three also makes it easy to pack varying amounts, from a snack to a three-course meal.

Source: Jbox.

This is a Hello Kitty 'Uguisu' (nightingale) design that apparently isn't sold outside Japan, so woo woo! It's a pretty small lunchbox, but it's attractive and I like the nubbly texture of the outside. It's one of those really pretty, girly boxes. Grand.

Source: Jbox.

This one is very shiny. On the website it was called a 'snack case' but it would be a pretty substantial snack. I'd like to use it as a candy stash. No inner seals or dividers or owt, it's just a big bowl with a nesting lid really. Perhaps I should try to get some proper Japanese candy for it. Or failing that, jujufish.

Source: Jbox.

This is the double-decker, hexagonal version of the snack case - and it does have inner seals. Very classy. And yes, those are little Hello Kitty faces on the lid. She gets everywhere. These two don't have anything in the way of a bag or furoshiki. I might have to shop around for something that matches them nicely. Black lacquered chopsticks would be a nice addition.

Source: Jbox.

This is my poshest bento box and my biggest. You'd use one like this to pack food for several people - your contribution to the sakura festival picnic, for example. I love how even the tupperware lids are flower-shaped. I love the pie-slice dividers that make it look like a Trivial Pursuit game piece. I love the touches of glitter in the pink flowers on the lid (sadly, they don't show up in the photo). I love how glossy it is. I just generally love it. I think this is the first bento box I've had that I can declare truly - (taiko drum roll) - Mako-chan-worthy. Like, if I were ever going to put food in it, I'd have to prepare by putting on a brown wig with a ponytail and pretending to be tall for my age.

Source: Jbox.